One of the best parts of pregnancy is feeling your baby move. It certainly beats the morning sickness, exhaustion and stretch marks.
But it can also be a worry for some parents, who wonder whether their baby is kicking enough, whether they’re moving too much or who may be concerned that they haven’t felt their baby move at all yet.
When do you feel your baby kick for the first time?
According to BabyCentre, most women feel their first movement between the weeks of 14 and 26 – but generally closer to weeks 18 to 22. This is called ‘quickening’, and at first these movements won’t feel like full-on kicks, they’ll feel like butterflies or waves.
It can be quite hard to tell if you actually felt movement or if it was just your body doing something weird, because when you’re pregnant, you experience all sorts of twitches.
If your baby is moving, it could feel like a little nudge or a twitch, or perhaps like a bubble bursting.
But remember that every body is different, and it’s not unusual to not feel your baby move until around month five.
There are also certain times of the day when you’re most likely to feel movement – including when you’re relaxed and ready to go to bed, after you eat and when you’re nervous, as the adrenaline can give your baby a boost of energy.
When should you feel your baby move more frequently?
You’ll feel your baby moving more frequently – in fact, daily – by the third trimester.
As your baby is much bigger and there’s a lot less space in the womb, you’ll be able to feel your baby move every day.
But this is also when it’s pretty important to keep an eye on those kicks.
Your doctor may ask you to count your kicks to make sure they are regular, as less movement can be a sign of something wrong with the baby.
However – it is so important to remember that your baby is in fact a little human, and may just be having a lazy day.
How can I make my baby kick?
Before you do go to the doctor, there are some ways you could try to make your baby move.
This includes drinking ice cold water, doing some jumping jacks, drinking some juice to heighten your blood pressure, shining a flashlight on your tummy or playing some music to your bump.
You could also try gently poking your bump to wake the baby up, or trying some pregnancy approved stretches.
The NHS website states that it’s super important to call your midwife if your baby is moving less than usual, or if you can’t feel your baby moving anymore – even if it’s the middle of the night.
You will need to have your baby’s movements and heartbeat checked.
It’s really important that you don’t wait until the next day, and get checked straight away.
Often it’s nothing, so don’t panic too much, but it’s always best to be safe.
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source https://metro.co.uk/2019/10/16/when-should-you-first-feel-your-baby-move-during-pregnancy-10929478/
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